/2009

Pushkin State Museum

A solemn celebration for the winners of the VIII International Competition Architecture Awards 2009 and winners of the VII International Star’s House student contest was held at Pushkin State Museum (12/2 Prechistenka) on November 26, 2009.

Pushkin State Museum in Moscow was founded in Alexander Pushkin’s homeland by Alexander Z. Kreyn (1920–2000) in 1957. Well-known scholars, well-versed in Pushkin’s poetry, along with broad public were involved in creating the museum in the middle of last century. More than 200,000 records and artifacts, including a unique library of Russian poetry – a priceless gift of I.N. Rozanov – are represented in the museum stock. Since the opening days the museum began receiving numerous gifts somehow related to Pushkin’s name: portraits, books, manuscripts, engravings, chinaware and furniture. An official inauguration for visitors was held in 1961, and in 1997 on the eve of the poet’s 200th birthday when Moscow celebrated its 850th anniversary, the museum experienced a second birth. Refurbishment and restoration transformed it into a multifunctional museum and cultural center for academic, exhibiting, concert, educational, restoration and conservation activities.

The museum is housed in the ancient urban estate of Khrushchevs and Seleznevs – Moscow classicism’s monument. The main building of the estate was raised in 1814-1817 by architect A.G. Grigoryev with the assistance of Domenico Gilardi. This is a wooden edifice with stucco walls resting on a white-stone pediment of the XVIII century. The house is one of the best samples of the Moscow Empire style, featuring a rather uncommon juxtaposition of two facades: an austere and solemn one faces Prechistenka Street, while the second scenic front with paired columns and a multi-figured frieze faces Khrushchev Lane.